Measuring apparatus



' Feb. 7, 1939. R. P. PRICE 2,146,442

ME-AsURING APPARATUS Filed June 25,l 1936 4 sheets-sheet' 1 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Feb. 7, 1939. R. P. PRICE MEASURING APPARATUS Filed June 25, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 lNvENol-e Richard PPrice En? Timwwwmmuumumu ATTORNEY Fe'b. 7, 1939. R. P. PRICE MEASURING APPARATUS Filed June 25,v 193e `4 sheets-'sheet 3 lNVENTOR Richard P Price BY ATTORNEY Feb. 7, 1939.l

INVENTO R Richard Price BYo.

l ATTORNEY` Patented Feb. 7, 1939 l MESURING APPARATUS Richard P. Price, Erie, Pa., assigner to Hammer mill Paper Company, Erle, Pa., a corporation f Pennsylvania Application June 25, 1936, Serial No. 87,253V

5 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for measuring the thickness of a sheet of material and more particularly to the measurement of such a sheet while it is being treated in a machine. It isvery desirable to accurately measure thethickness of a sheet of material while it is being treated without stopping the movement of the sheet or interfering with the treatment thereof. For example,

in the art Aof making paper it is frequently desirable to obtain an accurate measurement of the thickness of a paper sheet while it is in the process of manufacture and without stopping or interfering with the operation of the paper making machine. j

An objectof my invention is to enable the calipering of sheeted material without interfering with the operation of the machine handling the material.

A further object is to provide an accurate measuring apparatus which is capable of being calibrated either while a machine to which it is applied is stopped or running, and which is also capable of calipering a sheet of material under either of these conditions while-the sheet is in the machine.

Another object is to provide apparatus for ac compllshing the foregoing objects in a simple and practical manner, which may be readily applied to existing machines for treating sheet material.

Another object is to provide apparatus for accurately measuring the thickness of any desired section of a sheet of material while such sheet is passing through a machine and without interfering with the operation thereof.

Further objects and advantages will be more apparent from a description of the embodiments of the invention illustrated in the drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of one end of the two lowermost calendering rolls in a paper making machine having a measuring .device applied thereto.

Figure 2 is a vertical section of the calipering apparatus shown in Fig. 1, with parts of the apparatus shown in elevation, and taken generally on the line 2-2 of Figure 1. Figure 3 illustrates a high frequency electrical 'circuit which can, be employed for amplifying and indicating measurements made in accordance with my invention.

Figure 4 front elevation of a modication of my invention with .the sheet to be measured illustrated in section.

v .5.,is a vertical section ofthis apparatus takenb'nbout the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Figure 6 isa view similarto-Fig. 5 but illustrating another form of measuring device suitable for use in the apparatus of Fig. 4. l

Figure 7 is a front elevation, partly in section,

' ofa further-modification of my invention.

Figure 8 is a left end elevation of the apparatus shown in Fig. 7, and

Figure 9 is a detail .sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on about the line 9-9 of Fig. '1.

' With reference to the drawings, and more particularly Figs. l to 3, numeral 5 indicates one end oi.' the lowest roll of a stack of calendering rolls in a paper making machine. The journal 6 of this roll 5 may be suitably supported in a journal housing 1 provided with a suitable bearing lining. The corresponding journal 8 of the next highest calender roll 9 may be mounted in a suitable vertically movable bearing Ill provided with a bearing sleeve II. This roll 9 runs upon roll 5 and'during operation is separated therefrom only by the paper being calendered. Mounted on projecting arms I2, I3 of the housing 1 is a housing section Il held ilrmly in place by suitable means such as bolts l5.

Housing section' Il is generally cylindrical in shape. and provided with an integral shelf I8 having a guideway ISa for guiding the lower portion of a vplunger I1. Threaded into an opening in the top portion of housing section Il is a collar I8 held in place by a set screw I9 and lock nut 20. The inner wall of this ycollar I8 provides a bearing guide for collar 2| threaded on plunger l1 and held against rotation by the lock nut 22. The upper end of plunger I1 is connected to a shoe 23 by a pin 23a or other suitable means. This shoe 23 has' an arcuate lining 2l of suitable bearing metal which is held firmly against the end of Journal 8 by means of the spring 25. Spring 25 is compressed between the shelf I6 of the housing section Il and a plate 26 xed to the collar 2l. Plate 28 is so positioned that it is adapted to limit upward movement of plunger I1 and collar 2 I by striking the collar I8.

The lower end of plunger I1 is preferably internally threaded and the upper end of .a tappet 21,

which is similarly threaded, is secured within this opening in the plunger I1. 'Ihis tappet 21 is arranged to move vertically in the bearing guideway 21a formed integrally with housing section I4. A suitable gear 28, mounted for rotation within the portion of .housing section Il between guideway. Ilia and guideway 21a, may be keyed to tapp'et 21 .by means of a key 29. The lower end of this tappet projects down through the guideway 21a and bears against the head 30a of a pin 30 which is fixed to an upper and movable condenser plate 3l. Pin 30 is preferably arranged to slide vertically through the upper wall of housing 32, and has its upper end threaded through the partition 33 in the member '34 and into the nut 30a forming the head of pin 30. A

fixed to the end of a shaft 3l, which shaft is supported for rotation ,in the sleeve bearing 3d. Shaft 3l may be rotated by suitable means such as the hand wheel t9.

In the operation of the apparatus it will be readily apparent that the movable condenser plate 3l will be moved with respect to a condenser plate d@ xed to housing l, a distance equal to or dii proportional to the thickness of a sheet of paper introduced between the calendar rolls 5 and S. The condenser plates 3l and di? thus form a variable condenser, the capacity of which is an exact indication of the thickness of a sheet of material between rolls E and 9. VOther suitable arrangements oi movable and stationary plates may be employed.

As the capacity of this variable 'condenser is changed, this 'change in capacity be ampliiied by the high frequency circuits shown in Fig. 3 and indicated by the micro-ammeter d l.

This amplier circuit may receive current clirectly from the transformer l2 connected to the main lines d3, lli supplying lli) volt A. C. current. The laments of the two vacuum tubes dll, l5 receive electric energy from two portions oi such a transformer and a third section thereof, taising thepla'ce of B" batteries, may supply current to the remainder of the circuit. An amplifying circuit of this type for measuring the capacity of a variable condenser is well understood in the art and need not be explained in detail. Other means for measuring and/or amplifying movement of pin il@ with respect to housing l may also be provided within the scope of my invention.

Shoe 23 is continuously held against the end of journal t by the pressureof spring 25 in order to transmit the smallest movement of the end of the journal il to pin dll. The pressure of shoe tt, however, should not be sufcient to innuence the weight of the calendering roll il or aect its calendering action. In oase o variable thick-V nesses of paper or substantial movement of the journal ii in a vertical direction, plate 2li serves as a stop to prevent more than a very limited upward movement of tappet El and pin titi. By adjusting @collar lll, thev gap between this collar and plate 26 may be set for any given value.

By rotating the gear 23, fine adjustments in the total length of plunger il, tappet 2l, and pin il@ may -be made for Calibrating the measuring apparatus either while the calendering rolls are stationary or while they are rotating without any material between them. In this manner variations caused by thin lms of oil, dirt, expansion, contraction, and other variable factors are overcome and an accurate measurement may be obtained.

In calibrating this apparatus,.ailowance may also be made for the compressibility of the sheet to be measured. Where the same kind of material is to be measured in an apparatus, the necessary correction factor may be readily obtained by measuring the thickness ci the sheet when it is compressed between two rolls and measuring the thickness of the sheet at the same place after it has emerged from between the rolls.

The apparatus in Figs. d to 6 is designed to accurately measure the thickness of any desired section of a sheet of material without interrupting the travel thereof. This modification may comprise a base member d@ having an. upper surface il of arcuate cross-section for supporting the traveling sheet of material 6b. A pair of upward extending arms Q9, 5t are preferably rmly attached to the ends of base member SB as by bolts til. The arms 69 and 5@ provide supports for a arcanes pair of fdxed guide rods 52, 53 and also for the threaded rod 5d. Threaded rod 58 may have its ends rotatably mounted in bearing portions 55 and 5t of arms 89 and 50 and is preferably restrained from longitudinal movement by the collars 5l, 58 ixed to the rod adjacent these bearing portions. Hand wheel 59 or other suitable means may be employed to rotate rod 5ft.

A carriage t@ having two sleeves El and 62 is supported in sliding engagement b y the rods 52 and 53 to carry the measuring apparatus. An

. internally threaded sleeve, formed integrally with carriage 6@ may be employed to receive the threaded rod 5d for adjusting the position of the carriage in accordance with the rotation of hand wheel 5S] and rod 5d. A housing t3, similar to housing 32, may be carried by the carriage, in which is mounted the fixed condenser plate tl. A movable condenser plate 65 may be attached to a pin lid, the head of which is resiliently pressed against a tappet in the manner described in connection with pin t@ and plate 3l in Fie. 2.

Figures 5 and 6 illustrate different means for moving pin dt and condenser plate E55 in accordance with the thickness of sheet it to be measured. In the device of Fig. 5 a yoke El is pivotally connected to depending portions of the carriage til as by pin 68. `The lower end 69 of arm tl comprises a bearing sleeve for receiving the shaft portion il@ of fork Il. 'Ihis shaft l@ is provided with an integral collar 'l2-having an upper bearing surface adapted to bear against the lower surface of sleeve B9 and the upper end of shaft 'ill may be secured in the sleeve against accidental removal by a nut 'i3 and washer 1d. The arms of fork 'li rotatably support the roller 15 on the pin lt for travel on the sheet 48' and vertical movement of this roller l5 is transmitted through shaft l@ to the pin 6E and condenser plate t5 by means of the bolt l'l adjustably secured in the end of shaft'll and retained in place by the lock nut ld.

In Athe operation of this embodiment 0f my invention which may be located at the slitter board of a cutter in a paper handling machine, the condenserplates @il and 65 make up a variable condenser to which an indicating apparatus such as shown in Fig. 3 may be connected. Vertical movement of roller l5 about the pivot t8 is accurately translated to the movable condenser plate t5 through shaft lil, bolt Il and pin 6B. Interpolation of the reading for the capacity of the condenser formed by plates tl and 65 will thus give a direct indication of the thickness oi the section of sheet d@ under roller l5 at any given time. lf the thickness of some other section of the sheet d@ is to be checked, the hand wheel 59 and rod 5d may be rotated to move carriage Sli in the proper direction. The swivel or castor like connection of roller it to carriage 80, allows this roller to trail along over the sheet Without friction and without injury thereto.

In Figure 6, a possible substitute for the roller l5 is illustrated in which the carriage 60 is provided with a depending portion 'i9 having a sleeve t@ .formed integral therewith. A shoe 8l is pivotally attached to the portion 19 by means of the pin t2, and is provided with a contact portion d3 which may have a curved lower surface of hemi-spherical or similar shape adapted to slide easily over the surface of the sheet 48. A tappet ed in' contact with `the upper surface of shoe 8l sol is arranged to slide vertically in the sleeve 80 .Y

connection with Figs. 4 and 5. The shoe, however, may be advantageous for some purposes wherein very accurate measurements are desired and it is di'icult to obtain a roller of uniform radius.

Figures 'Ito 9 illustrate a further modification of my invention as applied to a slitter board. A

base member 81 having acurved uppervsuriace 88 similar to the base 46 may be readily employed in this connection. Bearing guides 88 and 80 may be rmly anchored to the sides of the base 81 as by bolts 8|. These `bearing guides are each provided with spaced upward extending jaws 82 forming vertical guideways for the journals 83 of roll 84. Roll 84 is thus arranged to rotate on the moving sheet 85 to be calipered. Bearing collars 86, 86 having bearing sleeves 81 surround the ends of journals 83' and have integral depending shanks 88, 88 arranged to slide vertically in the sleeves 88, 88 formed integral with the bearing guides 88 and 80.

A pair of supports |00, are aiilxed by bolts |0| to the ends of the base 81 below the bearing guides and support the housings |02, |02. Each of these housings includes a xed condenser plate |03 and al movable condenser plate |04 carried on a pin |05. 'I'hese pins |05 are constructed and l arranged like the pins 30 and 66 and have heads |06 contacting the bolts |01 fixed in the lower ends of shanks 88 by lock nuts |08.

Suitable indicating apparatus such as shown in Fig. 3 may be employed to measure the capacity of the variable condenser formed by plates |03 and |04. In the operation of this device, the roll 84 contacts the sheet 85 throughout substantially its full width. The readings obtained at each end of the roll indicate any variation in thickness as well as the actual thickness of the sheet near each edge. Ii both readings coincide, the sheet is of substantially uniform thickness throughout. If the readings diiler, however, the average thereof indicates average thickness of the sheet, and the degree of difference in the readings indicates the degree of variation in thickness in different sections oi' the sheet. 1 As previously mentioned, any suitable means, electrical, mechanical, or hydraulic,` may be provided ior measuring and/or amplifying the movesuitable arrangement is to substitute a movable amature for the movable condenser plate, land two fixed ilelds for the liixed plate. Electrical connection may be used to measure changes in reluctance producedby movement of the armature between the two fixed fields.

varying thicknesses or paper maw be continuously measured and indicatedwhile the paper machine is in operation and, if desired,

making suitablerecording ,fsuch as a poten- ",tiorneter-Y scoordenmay Hund m mon Although the embodiment or my invention illustrated has been described in connection with the calendering and slitting stations of a paper making machine, it is manifest that the invention may be practiced with other portions of a paper making machine, or with any pair of shoes, rolls` or other members adapted to be separated only by the thickness of the sheet of material being treated.l

The terms and expressions which I have employed are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and I have no intention, in the use of such terms and expressions, of excluding any equivalents' of the features shown and described or portions thereof, but recognize that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention claimed.

I claim:

1. In apparatus for measuring the'thickness of a sheet of material, a journal housing, a roll having a journal mounted for rotation in said housing. a second roll supported for vertical movement with respect to said ilrst roll, a member, means held against a -portion o! said second roll for suspending said member, means for varying the length of said suspending means, and means for measuring the amount of movement of said member.

2. In apparatus for measuring the thickness of a sheet of material, a journal housing', a roll having a journal mounted for rotation in said housing,'a second roll having a Journal and supported for vertical movement with respect to said .iirst roll, a shoe, a member, means connected urging said shoe against a portion of the second roll, a member connected to said plunger, and

means for indicating the extent of movement of said member.

4. In apparatus for measuring the thickness o a'sheet of material, a Journal housing, a roll having a Journal mounted for rotation in said housing, a second roll supported for vertical movement with respeetto said nrst roll, a shoe, a plunger mounted for vertical movement in said housing and connected to said shoe, means for urging said shoe against a portion of the second roll, a member connected to said plunger, means for adjusting said member with respect to said plunger, and means for indicating the extent of movement of said member. l

5. In apparatus for measuring the thickness of a sheet of material, a Journal housing, a rollv having a journal mounted for rotation in said housing, a: second roll supported for vertical movement with'respect to said iirst roll, a member iixed to said housing, a shoe adapted to engage the Journal of the second roll, a plunger connected to said'shoeand mounted for vertical movement in said housing, a second member, ad- Justable'means connecting said second member to the plunger, andmeans for indicating variations in the distance between said members.

. RICHARD P. PRICE. 

